AN UNRELIABLE BUT DELICIOUS POLL OF FAVOURITE LOCAL INGREDIENTS

Over the last two weeks I have been asking belly-loving bayfm subscribers, who are the most delicious subscribers of them all (& pretty lucky too, lots of prize winners among you) for one or a few favourite local ingredients.  I may have lost one or 2 bits of paper with your suggestions, & I added in a few keen cooks and eaters I just met along the way (mostly at our wonderful markets).  Please leave a comment below with your favourite ingredient.

Sarah Ma – My favourite local ingredient would be macadamia butter.  Fatty but worth every calorie. It’s goes well with Davidson plum jam on toasted rye bread (the thin kind that has a hint of fennel). Also a fave with Nicky – one of bayfm’s office managers & Friday presenter.

Amanda Bannatyne – From the Mullum Farmers market I always buy garlic from the Gourmet Garlic Company, glossy ginger from Sue Mangan, strawberries from Rainbow Fruit Flats and local blueberries by the bucket when in season.

Michael McDougall – Bangalow ducks – Michael cooked 22 duck breasts on his bbq for the family, set them all & bbq on fire – they turned out a bit black but still good!  He is single & looking for a beautiful man with his own fire extingusher.

Avocados – our clear winner as most people’s favourite local ingredient (though macadamia paste was pretty popular)

Liz Ellis, netball champ, new resident & new subscriber, always packs an avocado for daughter Evelyn, who was in her stroller, happily eating as mum subscribed at the Bangalow Farmers Market. avocados are great because they come ready packaged, Evelyn likes them plain or with cumin or yoghurt.

Chris Hauritz, principal of Ocean Shores Public School – the kids make avocado & cheese dishes, especially guacamole, also salads, from New Brighton Farmers Market

Jumping red Ant, spray free grower from Durambah, winner of the bayfm business prize – John & Cathy brought up kids on avocados, never butter, the kids moved to the city & miss dad’s avos, John also loves lychees in summer (this got a chorus of mmms in the studio)

Brad Sarson of Byron Bay Healthy Salt – lemon myrtle

Sister Carolyn – taro, especially in dhal

Jude Burmester – coriander – she grows a lot, but it doesn’t do well in summer, plant now, keep replanting as it goes to seed quickly

Isolde Kopping, aka dr Siggy Fried, passionate champion of bad cooks, her fave local ingredient is stodge

Lyn – local dried black olives from markets

Gay, long time belly listener, at New Brighton farmers market – with emphasys – gooood garlic!

Francisco Smoje – probably a whole side of beef opened up like a butterflied prawn, ready for outdoor cooking – the photo was pretty impressive

Jan & Talen Dilli – parsley – an essential ingredient

Meredith Williams – burdock

Wandercat a.k.a. Phoebe – co-presenter of All at sea w. the owl & miaw – assures me she’s a foodie & proved it – she made an open sandwich of organic donut, Ilias the Greek’s amazing chocolate brownie, & a donated strawberry (thank you Michel) on top – washed down with homemade lemonade – yesterday our fave ingredient was sugar at the Bangalow market – see the results on bayfm’s facebook page

… bit of a headache today, not sure if it was the sugar, the sun or the dancing around our subscribers.

 

AUDIO CLIPS

Take your ears to the Byron Bay Farmers Market and listen to Sister T chatting with chef Clayton Donovan of the Jaaning Tree Restaurant in Neambucca Heads.  And get there this Thursday, August 30 for a FREE taste of Clay’s & Paul Wrightson’s food (8 to 10 am)

Chef Clayton Donovan at the Byron Bay Farmers Markets

 

Or go to the 2012 Byron Bay Writers festival & listen to Jim Hearn read from his first book, “High Season, a memoir of heroin & hospitality”

Jim Hearn reading from High Season

 

love and chocolate donuts,

Sister T